The second one is down the road looking back to where I was when I shot the first one. This one seems more dramatic. Nice frame and thirds. ISO- 200 SS- 1/15 f18 32mm

Here is a series of photos. Sometimes it’s where you shoot. I live about 9 miles from a place called Hidden Lake Gardens. It’s a beautiful arboretum type place, outside of Tipton Mi. I have been shooting there since 1980. I shot many senior portraits there. Since then, other senior portrait photographers have gone there. Years ago, I went on the paths and shot what I thought was good. I figured that I’d covered the place.

In early April of this year, I got in the mood to walk outside and went to Hidden Lake, and got on trails that I’d never seen before. (They have really opened up where people can go). I found a cross country skiing trail that used to be a road in ancient times. I found places where I wanted to shoot and returned and shot them, in some cases a couple of times. I wanted to shoot on an overcast day, with no leaves on the trees. A different season would make these look totally different.

The first one is of the old road, it is framed by the many trees and the road curves nicely and somewhat thirds. ISO- 200 Shutter Speed- 1/15 Aperture- f18 Lens- 52mm

Does a photo have to be perfect to be effective? I don’t think a photo has to be perfect to be effective. Most everyone wants to improve their photographs, someway, somehow. This photo is from Jamie’s portfolio from the summer of 2003. I wanted to shoot later, but we didn’t have later. I had to shoot in brilliant sunlight. I would have liked to have shot her with softer light. Not necessarily diffused light, but softer sunlight. Two hours later would have been good, but would the position of the sun been as good?

I could have used some sort of softening device, but I didn’t have anything that reached that high. The light on her is too harsh. You are seeing the photo as shot, with no Photoshop manipulation.

Now, what makes this photo good? I do like the sideish lighting. I used a reflector to fill in the face. Those two elements make the photo good. The look on Jamie’s face is great. The feeling of the photograph is great. The mood is great. Oh yes, black and white worked better for this than color.

Sometimes a photo may have flaws, but can still be very good.

Camera- Canon FTb
Lens- I think a 135mm telephoto, Canon
Shutter Speed- 125/250
Aperture- f4ish
Film- T-Max 100

This photo has made a comeback with me. This photo is called either The Dancer or Lori. It was shot January 29, 1977 in her basement. (It looks like it was shot yesterday). I used one bulb in a cheap reflector (the clamp type). I backlit her (I had SOME idea what back light was). A year later, I had some people tell me to turn it horizontally, so it looked like she was flying. I still don’t know about that one.

This was a situation where the darkroom improved the photo. I printed the photo down (darker than it was exposed) and I dodged her face, you can probably tell. I tried to improve the dodge in Photoshop, but I couldn’t. The original was fine.

Could you get a similar look digitally? Yes. You could probably duplicate this scene very easily. See above. In Photoshop use Curves, or Levels, make the density darker, add a little contrast and dodge the face.

What really makes this photo is the look on her face. She was not a professional model, but she projected a great look. Great mouth. Sometimes you just get lucky. After looking at the contact sheet, there are at least 3 more that need to be revisited.

Camera- Canon FTb
Film- Ilford HP4 I thought I pushed it to ASA 800, but there is no record of that, so probably ASA 400.
SS- 1/30 I might have used a tripod, but I don’t remember. If I didn’t, I can’t believe how sharp it is.
f- 2.8
Lens- 50mm
Paper- probably a grade 3 contrast

The equipment used was very simple. You don’t always need something complicated.

KT

A few words about using your camera manually. Remember, we are not talking about manual focus.

The figurines on your mode dial are all automatic modes. I think we understand that.

Maybe camera manufacturers are adding to the confusion. Some camera manuals call the P (Program) TV/S (Shutter priority) AV/A (Aperture priority) M (Manual) creative modes, or something like that. They are NOT creative. All of these except M are AUTOMATIC MODES. The camera operates AUTOMATICALLY.

Program- camera sets both the shutter and aperture.

TV/S- Shutter Priority- you set the shutter speed, the camera sets the aperture.

AV/A- Aperture Priority- you set the aperture, the camera sets the shutter speed.

I have had an increasing amount of students do the following, thinking they are using the camera manually. (DO NOT DO THIS). Set the Mode dial to M. Then set the Mode dial to TV/S and set the shutter speed, then set the Mode dial to AV/A and set the aperture, then shoot. THIS IS NOT SHOOTING IN MANUAL!! Repeat DO NOT DO THIS. Use Manual the way it is described below.

This is how most cameras operate in the Manual mode. Set the mode dial to M. Look through the viewfinder. Press the shutter release button halfway, to activate the light meter. Turn the command dial with your forefinger or thumb. That changes the shutter speed. Press and hold the aperture button while turning the same dial. That changes the aperture. There is a graph like area where you want all the green bars to disappear or go to the middle. When that happens you have the correct shutter speed and aperture combination.

Don’t forget to use your Gray Card.

Candid kids

Here is my grandson, Dec. 19, 2008.  Ok, he's not really my grandson but I claim him and he has fun playing with me.  I will probably have a unique relationship with him, just like I did with his mom and his uncle.  

His grandma loves this photo.  The look on his face is great.  Let's see how I made it.  I was skulking around in back of the couch (which was in the middle of the room).  The boy got on it and I just maneuvered and got the shot.  I actually had a little time to focus, so it should have been sharper.  

Nikon D-50   ISO  200   SS- 1/125   f 5.6  lens at 55mm (slight telephoto).  The flash was bounced straight up.  You can tell this look by seeing the shadows on his forehead and eyes.  

Why did I use ISO 200?  Because I use the slowest ISO I can.  That's the lowest ISO my camera has.  

Why did I use 1/125 shutter speed?  It is the slowest hand held shutter speed I should use with my lens (standard Nikon zoom).  In fact maybe I used 1/100.

Why did I bounce the flash?  For a softer look.  Direct flash can be very hard looking.  You need a flash where the head tilts.  

Photoshop-  I made a selection around the boy.  Did Inverse (which selected what I didn't select).  Used Curves to darken the distracting background (people, gifts).  Used the Clone (rubber stamp) to get rid of exposed underwear.  Then I burned in the couch where his hands are.  

And now to something more philosophical.  People will often say that candid photos reveal more of a person's character than a professional portrait.  Think, the studio portrait is made in an unfamiliar place.  The kids are hauled to wherever.  One kid somehow, gets dirt on his shirt.  The mother is tense, the kids pick up on that and they get nervous and there goes the whole thing.  

Candid photos are usually made in familiar surroundings, with familiar people, everybody's at ease.  

You might well ask, how do you get photos like this?  The answer is, have your camera ready and be at the right place at the right time.  That's all there is to it.  

KT

Ohio woods

This was shot Feb. 8, 2008 at Oak Openings in Ohio, I think.  I think it's called Oak Openings.  I don't know exactly where I was, on the southern part of the place, I guess.  I had been to Oak Openings once before, in March of 1993, but not in this area.  

Camera: Nikon D-50.  Shutter speed 1/6.  Aperture f 13.  ISO 200.  Focal length 31mm. (which is a little off of normal).  Yes, I used a tripod.  I shot it in Raw.  The composition is pattern.  Shot late in the day.  I bracketed. Some may say it is underexposed.  I like it like that, it adds to the effect.  As yet, I don't have a title.  

I sometimes find it hard to talk about why I shoot what I shoot.  I had been walking around for some time before I found this area.  I liked the subdued greens and browns of the scene.  I was alone in this place.  It was almost mystical and fantasy like.  I liked the quietness of it.  That could be what I'm trying to get across in this photo.  Quiet, beautiful, fantasy, a different world.  Actually, it reminded me a little of Lord of the Rings (the newer movie, not the 1978 animation).  I'm not sure what this photos says about me.  All our photos say something about us.  

KT

ISO

ISO or ASA or film speed.

All of these mean the same. Once again ISO is how sensitive the film/sensor is to light. The lower the ISO number, the less sensitive the film/sensor is to light. If you have a lot of light, like a sunny day, then you can use a low ISO. If you are inside, you will have to use a high ISO. Remember with film, a high ISO will produce grain. With digital a high ISO will produce noise. 400 ISO (which was once considered fast) is now kind of in the middle.

The average digital SLR camera has ISO 100 200 400 800 1600. Point and shoot digital cameras may go lower and top out at 400.

Sample scene: ISO 100 1/125 f8 or f8 1/125

ISO 200 1/125 f11 or f8 1/250

ISO 400 1/125 f16 or f8 1/500

ISO 800 1/125 f22 or f8 1/1000

Hopefully you can see that each of these units is a stop apart. Maybe that will make things a little clearer.

Some digital cameras have ISOs that go 100 125 160 200 250 320 400 etc. These are just like film ISOs, so you have more choices. These are a third of a stop apart. Your shutter speeds and apertures are the same way.

Let’s say you want to shoot inside. You have a digital SLR camera with the stock zoom lens. You set your ISO to 400, take a meter reading and come up with 1/30 at f4. You want to hand hold your camera, so this won’t work. You then change your ISO to 800, take a meter reading and you come up with 1/60 at f4, this won’t work either. You set your ISO to 1600, meter and you get 1/125 at f4. Now you can shoot. You’ll have a lot of noise, but you can shoot.

My rule is use the lowest ISO you can.

I shot this the first day I was  in Vermont, August 18th? 1986.  I was on a bridge which was part of the Appalachian Trail.  All photo students should recognized this photo.  Shutter speed 1 secondish, aperture f16ish.  Mamiya 645 camera with normal (80mm) lens.  Tri-X film ASA 400.  

The analog photo has less contrast.  I bracketed by changing the shutter speed (I think).  It's harder to print than it looks.  I had to burn in the background a lot.  If I coax the water and rocks they can look almost glowing.  I always thought it was weak on composition, but I really like the feel of it.  People seem to like the softness of it.